1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine, and, more particularly, to a drum type washing machine capable of effectively lowering a relative humidity inside a water tub within a short time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a drum type washing machine is an apparatus that repeatedly performs a wash cycle, rinse cycle, etc to wash laundry. In such a drum type washing machine, laundry is raised and subsequently falls down to be washed by virtue of an impact applied thereto when it falls down.
A conventional drum type washing machine, as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2004-61155, comprises a housing forming an external appearance of the washing machine, a cylindrical water tub mounted in the housing and adapted to contain wash water, a rotating tub rotatably mounted in the water tub, a drive motor mounted at the rear side of the water tub and adapted to produce a driving force required to rotate the rotating tub, and a rotating shaft penetrating through the water tub to transmit the driving force of the drive motor to the rotating tub to thereby enable rotation of the rotating tub.
The rotating tub has a single vent hole perforated at a rear region thereof for the inflow or outflow of air. The vent hole serves to lower a relative humidity inside the water tub.
In the case of the conventional drum type washing machine, however, since the vent hole permits only a very small inflow or outflow of air, it takes a considerably long time to dry the interior of the water tub using the vent hole. Even in the initial stage of drying, adversely, moisture inside the water tub evaporates, increasing the relative humidity inside the water tub.